Caitlin Frazier
Foundations of Writing - Dr. Sherry
9/30/13
Working Students vs. Nonworking Students
Problem
College is experienced and dealt with in many different ways by students. Though we all are going through similar changes and struggles, we have individual ways of adapting to it. Some have trouble balancing time and keeping their busy lives organized. Others may very easily keep things on track and stay on top of things. One example is having jobs while being a college student. Is it possible to have a job and balance schoolwork together in college? I tried to answer this question by finding articles on the matter such as Working and Nonworking University Students: Anxiety, Depression, and GPA and Similarities and Differences Between Working and Nonworking Students at a Mid-sized American Public University. I also interviewed students with jobs to find more information straight from the source. Background
In the articles I found, the authors studied the effects of having a job as a college student. They also observed advantages, disadvantages, anxiety, depression, and GPA differences based on having a job and attending school. Both authors surveyed students to get their information and found statistics to back up their studies.(introduce)
In Brandon Lang’s Article, he included a wide variety of information on working students. He found that there is a rising percent of college students with employment due to increased college tuition. 1/3 of students in a study said that work greatly interfered with studies. There was less time to participate in co-curricular activities and socialize. Though they have less time, there was a positive feedback in grades for students that had jobs. Also, Lang found that working students that were motivated and organized managed their time well and were efficient.
In the second article by Rebecca Mounsey, Michael Vandehey, and George Diekhoff, they included information on anxiety, depression, and GPA influences based on working in college. They found that working students displayed more anxiety than non-working students. Many students chose to work for a number of reasons including opportunity, previous employment experience, and necessity and worries about post-graduation loans. 38% of students said working helped them uphold the quality of life they’re accustomed to. Some advantages found were realistic depiction of the real world, skills gained for a future career, learning to manage time productively, and increasing self-awareness. Disadvantages found included financial difficulties, more pressure put on them, more likely to drop out or reduce course load, and suffering performances. Statistics showed students working had higher GPAs than students not working.(insert) I found these articles to be opposite of what I expected. I didn’t think students’ grades would be better with a job, or having a job to be a benefit as a student.(interpret) Findings
To find my own observations and opinions on the matter, I chose to interview students with jobs that could relate to the information I obtained.(introduce) Both students I interviewed are freshman in college with jobs, working about 3 to 4 days a week. I asked both what the advantages and disadvantages to having a job as a college student were. Both said advantages were having extra money to go out and do things with friends or for hobbies. One also said since they work at a day care, they get to deal with their field of work they hope to one day achieve and have as a career. For disadvantages, they said about the same thing. There isn’t as much time for a social life or to join clubs. Also homework can build up and is harder to keep up with. Time to hang out with friends is limited, making it harder to balance out their time for all of these things.(insert) These interviews showed me that there are benefits and disadvantages to jobs, though it seemed people had more disadvantages to working while being college students.(interpret) Conclusion
Based on the information I found in the articles, I learned that most students that had a job benefitted from it. Though they needed good time management, they often had higher GPAs and were more successful and prepared in the long run for future careers. These data also proved that students with a job didn’t have time for co-curricular activities and socializing.
In my own data, I learned that having a job in college is a good idea. Though time management can be hard, it’s a good trait to pertain. Students with jobs are more likely to be prepared for a career in the long run. From the people I interviewed, they concluded that it makes it hard to hang out with friends and homework can build up.
Sources
LANG, K. BRANDON. "The Similarities And Differences Between Working And Non-Working Students At A Mid-Sized American Public University." College Student Journal 46.2 (2012): 243-255. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 29 Sept. 2013
MOUNSEY, REBECCA, MICHAEL A. VANDEHEY, and GEORGE M. DIEKHOFF. "Working And Non-Working University Students: Anxiety, Depression, And Grade Point Average." College Student Journal 47.2 (2013): 379-389. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
Foundations of Writing - Dr. Sherry
9/30/13
Working Students vs. Nonworking Students
Problem
College is experienced and dealt with in many different ways by students. Though we all are going through similar changes and struggles, we have individual ways of adapting to it. Some have trouble balancing time and keeping their busy lives organized. Others may very easily keep things on track and stay on top of things. One example is having jobs while being a college student. Is it possible to have a job and balance schoolwork together in college? I tried to answer this question by finding articles on the matter such as Working and Nonworking University Students: Anxiety, Depression, and GPA and Similarities and Differences Between Working and Nonworking Students at a Mid-sized American Public University. I also interviewed students with jobs to find more information straight from the source.
Background
In the articles I found, the authors studied the effects of having a job as a college student. They also observed advantages, disadvantages, anxiety, depression, and GPA differences based on having a job and attending school. Both authors surveyed students to get their information and found statistics to back up their studies.(introduce)
In Brandon Lang’s Article, he included a wide variety of information on working students. He found that there is a rising percent of college students with employment due to increased college tuition. 1/3 of students in a study said that work greatly interfered with studies. There was less time to participate in co-curricular activities and socialize. Though they have less time, there was a positive feedback in grades for students that had jobs. Also, Lang found that working students that were motivated and organized managed their time well and were efficient.
In the second article by Rebecca Mounsey, Michael Vandehey, and George Diekhoff, they included information on anxiety, depression, and GPA influences based on working in college. They found that working students displayed more anxiety than non-working students. Many students chose to work for a number of reasons including opportunity, previous employment experience, and necessity and worries about post-graduation loans. 38% of students said working helped them uphold the quality of life they’re accustomed to. Some advantages found were realistic depiction of the real world, skills gained for a future career, learning to manage time productively, and increasing self-awareness. Disadvantages found included financial difficulties, more pressure put on them, more likely to drop out or reduce course load, and suffering performances. Statistics showed students working had higher GPAs than students not working.(insert) I found these articles to be opposite of what I expected. I didn’t think students’ grades would be better with a job, or having a job to be a benefit as a student.(interpret)
Findings
To find my own observations and opinions on the matter, I chose to interview students with jobs that could relate to the information I obtained.(introduce) Both students I interviewed are freshman in college with jobs, working about 3 to 4 days a week. I asked both what the advantages and disadvantages to having a job as a college student were. Both said advantages were having extra money to go out and do things with friends or for hobbies. One also said since they work at a day care, they get to deal with their field of work they hope to one day achieve and have as a career. For disadvantages, they said about the same thing. There isn’t as much time for a social life or to join clubs. Also homework can build up and is harder to keep up with. Time to hang out with friends is limited, making it harder to balance out their time for all of these things.(insert) These interviews showed me that there are benefits and disadvantages to jobs, though it seemed people had more disadvantages to working while being college students.(interpret)
Conclusion
Based on the information I found in the articles, I learned that most students that had a job benefitted from it. Though they needed good time management, they often had higher GPAs and were more successful and prepared in the long run for future careers. These data also proved that students with a job didn’t have time for co-curricular activities and socializing.
In my own data, I learned that having a job in college is a good idea. Though time management can be hard, it’s a good trait to pertain. Students with jobs are more likely to be prepared for a career in the long run. From the people I interviewed, they concluded that it makes it hard to hang out with friends and homework can build up.
Sources
LANG, K. BRANDON. "The Similarities And Differences Between Working And Non-Working Students At A Mid-Sized American Public University." College Student Journal 46.2 (2012): 243-255. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 29 Sept. 2013
MOUNSEY, REBECCA, MICHAEL A. VANDEHEY, and GEORGE M. DIEKHOFF. "Working And Non-Working University Students: Anxiety, Depression, And Grade Point Average." College Student Journal 47.2 (2013): 379-389. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.